The invention relates to a disc-record player having a frame, a turntable including a centering mandrel and a supporting surface for the disc, and a disc-pressure member for pressing the disc onto the turntable in a clamping position. A disc-loading device comprises a holder which is adapted to receive, in an initial position, a tray having a supporting surface for the disc, to perform a loading movement in order to transfer the tray and the disc to the turntable and separate the disc from the tray, and to perform an unloading movement in order to return the disc to the initial position,
Such a disc-record player is known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,692,916 (herewith incorporated by reference). The known disc-record player comprises a housing and a frame which is resiliently supported therein and which carries a loading device and a turntable. The loading device comprises a holder which is movable relative to the turntable in a substantially axial direction between an upper position and a lower position to transfer an optical disc, in particular an optical audio disc of the type referred to as "Compact Disc", to the turntable. The holder comprises two U-section members which are interconnected by transverse members and is adapted to receive, guide and support a disc tray. The tray is substantially rectangular and comprises a disc-supporting surface and means for holding the disc on the supporting surface which include a plurality of radially movable spring-loaded latching elements arranged around the circumference of the disc.
The loading device of the known disc-record player further comprises a drawer which is rectilinearly slidable over fixed parallel guide rails in the frame and which comprises two side walls with grooves engaged by pins of the holder. The loading device further comprises a pressure means comprising a disc pressure member for pressing the disc against the turntable in the player mode of the disc-record player. The pressure means also comprise pins adapted to cooperate with grooves in the side walls of the drawer to bring the disc-pressure member into a clamping position.
Briefly the loading device in the known disc-record player operates as follows. In the slid-out position of the drawer a tray holding an optical disc can be inserted into the holder. After the tray has been slid into the holder the drawer can be slid rectilinearly into the housing through a front opening, the holder moving horizontally during a first stage of the drawer movement and moving downwards during a second stage of this drawer movement. The holder together with the tray move axially past the centering mandrel of the turntable, openings in the holder and the tray ensuring that they cannot come into contact with the turntable. During said movement past the turntable, release pins which extend upwardly relative to the frame and which comprise conical end portions release the latching elements of the tray. Almost simultaneously with this releasing operation the disc-pressure member is brought to the clamping position to press the disc onto the turntable.
Owing to the presence of the rectilinearly movable drawer, which can be slid out almost completely, and which comprises a holder which is movable vertically relative to the drawer to insert the tray, the known disc-record player forms a rather intricate mechanical unit, which requires many operations during assembly. Moreover, the use of a drawer requires a front opening which is substantially larger than necessary to insert a tray holding a disc into the housing. Apart from the fact that a comparatively large front opening may be undesirable for aesthetic reaons, such an opening poses a problem in the case of disc-record players of compact construction. Moreover, the loading device described in the foregoing can be used only in disc-record players having a comparatively large overall height.